Vera Katz

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Vera (Pistrak) Katz was born of Russian heritage in Düsseldorf, Germany on August 3, 1933. The following year Vera, her parents, and older sister Zena fled Nazi persecution and embarked on a voyage that took them to France, Spain and Portugal before they eventually settled in Brooklyn, New York. When Vera was 11, her father left the family. Her mother took odd jobs to support them. Vera graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College in 1955.

Nine years later Vera moved to Portland with her former husband, artist Mel Katz, and their infant son Jesse. She cared for Jesse, prepared elaborate dinner parties, sewed her own clothes, and renovated her home, but she also longed to advocate more directly for social justice. After four years Vera entered politics as an activist, volunteering for Robert Kennedy’s presidential primary campaign. When Kennedy died she stayed active, lobbying the Legislature on behalf of migrant workers. In the late 1960s and early 70s, along with other women, she picketed the Portland City Club, protesting their exclusion of women, and effectively pushing the Club into admitting women.

lding on this success, Vera embarked on a political career that would span more than three decades — 20 years as a State Representative and 12 years as the Mayor of Portland. As one of the pioneering women in Oregon politics, Vera broke new ground, opening doors for future generations of women. She was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1972. During her tenure she became the first woman to chair the Ways and Means Committee, as well as Oregon’s first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, and the only three-time speaker. When Republicans took control of the House, Vera decided it was time for a change. In 1992, she launched a successful mayoral campaign, starting the first of three terms as Portland’s third female mayor.

During her career Vera championed women’s causes, education, and community development. While in the Legislature, she forged the first women’s caucus, which was able to push through anti-gender discrimination bills, as well as bills strengthening rape laws. She also introduced the Schools for the 21st Century Act, which affected discussions of education reform across the country. Throughout her years as Mayor, Vera prioritized funding for revitalizing the central city. She was instrumental in developing many landmarks, including the Oregon Convention Center, Pearl District, Chinese Classical Gardens, PGE Park, the Eastbank Esplanade, and the South Waterfront district, as well as expanding public transportation.

As speaker, Vera was known for her fairness and ability to run a bi-partisan House. John Kitzhaber describes her as “…one of the last great speakers of the Oregon House of Representatives…She built a powerful base of understanding, and respect, and support across the aisle. She ran the House like the House of Representatives. It wasn’t the Democratic caucus, it was the House of Representatives.” In characterizing Vera’s political style, Oregon Public Broadcasting’s political reporter Colin Fogarty comments on how she handled political and legislative conflicts: “Whatever conflict she had with you she never took it personally and she never attacked you personally.” Larry Campbell, Republican minority leader when Vera was Speaker, respected her honesty and integrity — “She was tough, she didn’t agree with me on many, many things but she was always fair and she basically always let me know where she was. Vera Katz never told me an untruth and I could count on what she said.” Her achievements are especially impressive, for as the first female Speaker of the House, Vera confronted a traditionally male organization and as Fogarty notes, one in which the old boys’ network was very much alive. “It was not an enlightened organization but she fit right in because she was good at what she did.”

In 2000 Mayor Katz was diagnosed with breast cancer. Rather than quit, she incorporated her private battle into her public persona. In commenting on Vera as Mayor, Alison Frost notes “It is widely acknowledged that she has a direct, forceful, go get ‘em style but you also hear at the same time people talking about her being maternal and having heart.” She raised public awareness by working on the Race for the Cure and joining the nationwide Mayor’s Campaign Against Breast Cancer. In 2004 doctors found adenosarcoma — a rare and aggressive form of cancer. With this news Vera announced that she would not seek a fourth term, ending 32 years in public office. In her 12th and final State of the City address, Vera left us with her philosophy on Portland, “Here, we haven’t been, and should never be, afraid of big ideas, of thinking out loud, or of robust debate. This is essential to the spirit of Portland.”

Written by Ericka Miller & Ariel Ladum

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